Since Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf declared emergency rule two weeks ago, the U.S. has struggled to stabilize this key ally in the war on terror. Can the U.S. cut aid without pushing Pakistan to the brink of chaos? Also tonight, Los Angeles County tries to give extra help to the fifty most vulnerable homeless people on downtown’s Skid Row.

FROM THIS EPISODE

Since Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf declared emergency rule two
weeks ago, the U.S. has struggled to stabilize this key ally in the war
on terror. Can the U.S. cut aid without pushing Pakistan to the brink
of chaos? Also tonight, Los Angeles County tries to give extra help to
the fifty most vulnerable homeless people on downtown’s Skid Row.

Pakistan has long presented a vexing policy conundrum for the US. Its
nuclear-weapons lab leaked technology to Iran and North Korea and al
Qaeda's leaders have taken refuge in its tribal lands. Washington
played down those problems as long as it had a stable alliance with
Islamabad. But since President Pervez Musharraf declared emergency rule
two weeks ago, the US has struggled to stabilize this key ally in the
war on terror, urging a return to civilian rule while risking
instability that could aid terrorists. Musharraf has remained defiant
in his grip on power despite a visit
by Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, who also met with
opposition politicians, in a search for political alternatives. With
whom did he speak and, at this point, can the US really help them? Can
the US cut aid without pushing Pakistan to the brink of chaos?

Los Angeles County is considering a program to place some of the most vulnerable of the homeless on Skid Row into permanent housing. With an estimated 70,000 people living in the streets, how should the county choose who gets the most services, and will this program really help alleviate the suffering?